


Schoolhouse Blues

by dancingloki



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, I promise there's no unhealthy power dynamic tho, Multi, Poe's not really a teacher he's just the TA, Teacher-Student Relationship, Valentine's Day, but he's angsty about it, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-21 00:35:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6031672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancingloki/pseuds/dancingloki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trying to complete your Doctorate is hard enough without interfering friends making your life miserable; unfortunately, "interfering" seems to be the only kind of friends Poe attracts. Combine that with a huge crush on two way-out-of-bounds freshman in the Literature 101 class you TA for, and you've got a recipe for a very interesting Valentine's day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Schoolhouse Blues

**Author's Note:**

> meant to post this yesterday but I didn't finish it OH WELL OH WELL

A messenger bag thumped onto Poe’s desk, right on top of the paper he was trying to grade.

“You should ask him out,” Jess announced, without preamble.

“Leave me alone, Testor,” he grumbled, shoving her bag off his work and onto the floor.

She snorted, throwing herself carelessly into the chair next to him and swinging her feet up onto the desk. “I’m serious. Valentine’s Day is next Sunday, you don’t want to be single on Valentine’s again, do you? For the 40th time in a row?”

“We’re not having this conversation again,” Poe glared. “You’re not funny.”

“I’m not joking,” she shot back. “You should ask her out.”

Poe sighed heavily, pulling off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Jessika, if you’re going to try to get me fired by forcing me into an inappropriate and almost certainly illegal relationship with one of my students, will you at least make up your mind about which one?”

“They’re not _your_ students, they’re Professor Skywalker’s students,” she grinned, tipping her chair back on its hind legs. “You’re just the lowly TA, remember? In addition to which, you’re not even actually technically assigned to that class. If Connix hadn’t gone on maternity leave…my point is that you’re not just a TA, you’re a _substitute_ TA. There’s like a 0, maybe 0.2% chance that it’d be against the rules.”

“I think this is where I’m supposed to remind you that you failed Probability & Statistics,” Poe said wearily. “Failed it spectacularly, in fact.”

Jess rolled her eyes. “Probability is _stupid_. It’s not even real math. And don’t change the subject. You gotta ask one of them out, pal.”

“Substitute TA or Department Head, it’s against the school’s code of ethics,” Poe mumbled.

She snorted again. “Oh, like you would even know! Wait.” The front legs of her chair hit the floor with a _thud_. “You looked it up.”

“Testor…”

“You did! Oh my god! You did a little bit of sexy research to try and find out if you could go out with them! You sly devil!”

“Testor, I swear to god.”

“I knew it. I _knew_ you liked them! So which one are you gonna ask out?”

“ _Neither_ , because _even if_ it wasn’t against the rules, it would still be _cradle robbing_ , you pervert!”

She blew a raspberry at him. “Oh don’t even with that crap. Finn’s older than most of the seniors, and Rey’s already more mature than you’ll be twenty years from now.”

Poe looked up, confused. “He’s older than the rest of the freshman class? Why? And how do you know that?”

Testor shrugged her shoulders. “I know because I talk to people, dumbass. And yeah, he’s 24. He’s here on the GI bill, bud, he was in the Army. He did two tours overseas, y’know.”

“I didn’t know that,” Poe said quietly, frowning at his desk.

“God, tell me you’re not going all mopey and emo on me like the Dean’s loser son,” she said uneasily. “Oh, what horrors hath Finn witnessed in days of war, what evil hath he seen lurking in the heart of mankind…”

“Jess,” he said warningly.

“Ooh, wait, I know! You’re picturing him coming back, tragically wounded from some act of heroism, and you’re the nurse in one of those miniskirts and the cute white hats that gets to bandage his wounds and give him sponge baths with the smoldering sexual tension rising between you, until finally—”

Poe’s leather jacket hit her square in the face, and she tumbled out of her chair onto the floor, laughing.

“Seriously though,” she said, lounging. “I know you worry about these things, but nobody would care. TAs shack up with undergrads all the time, I can name you half a dozen examples just off the top of my head.”

“It’s inappropriate,” he said, doggedly continuing to mark up the student’s paper. “I’m in a position of tacit authority over them since I grade their assignments.”

“So trade Snap for his Physics course.”

“No.”

“Sissy.”

Poe rolled his eyes. “Yes, Jess, I’m refusing to perpetrate an unavoidably coercive romantic pursuit of two of the students in my class who are both a decade too young for me anyway because I’m just such a big ole wuss.”

“It’s _not_ your class. It’s _Professor Skywalker_ ’s class. And you’re a sissy. They’d say yes, you know.”

“Go away.”

“They like you.”

“I’m _working_.”

“The whole class has a crush on you, you have to know that. I think it’s the hair.”

“What part of ‘go away, I’m working’ is confusing you?”

“You do have pretty great hair,” Jess admitted, folding her arms behind her head and using Poe’s jacket as a pillow. “You’re lucky I’m all about the ladies, or I’d climb you like a tree trunk, my friend.”

Poe slammed his forehead down onto his desk.

“So which one are you going to ask out?”

“Neither,” he moaned against the hard surface. “I’m going to go out into the woods and dig a hole and bury myself in it so I never have to interact with you again.”

“Sounds iffy,” Testor said cheerfully. “I’d stick with the plan where you get laid.”

“I hate you,” Poe mumbled.

“Of course you do!” she agreed, beaming. “That’s why we’re friends.”

This got no response but a scowl, and Poe bent studiously back to his grading.

“Sooo…” she prodded after a moment.

“Testor, will you _drop it_ ,” Poe snapped.

She sat up grinning, witty response at the ready, but it stuck in her throat when she saw his face. Poe looked legitimately miserable; for someone so naturally buoyant and cheerful, the expression didn’t suit him.

He glanced over and grimaced at her. “Don’t look at me like that, Jess, I’m fine. C’mon.”

“You really like them, don’t you,” she said quietly.

Poe sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Yeah, Testor. I really do. And it’s never going to happen, because even if I wasn’t their TA, I’d still be in my thirties and I’d have no chance, and I’m not feeling great about that, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” she said softly. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he sighed.

Given how much emotional stress he was obviously putting himself under, it wasn’t much of a shock that he came down with a 24-hour flu the next day. She felt too guilty about teasing him to complain about having to cover his Friday class. But at least he’d managed to finish grading all the class’s papers, luckily, so Testor didn’t have to worry about that.

She’d never taken any of Professor Skywalker’s classes herself, but from his reputation, she wasn’t surprised to find the class hanging on every word. The infamous Rey and Finn were no exception, in spite of the fact that they spent quite a bit of class time with their heads bent together, giggling and whispering over Rey’s notebook instead of contributing to the discussion. Far more tellingly, they both looked absolutely stricken when they learned at the start of class that Poe was out sick, and Finn went so far as to raise his hand and ask when he’d be coming back.

Eventually, the class period ran out. Professor Skywalker bade them all farewell, letting them know that their assignments from the week before were ready to be handed back before vanishing.

Burning with curiosity about the undoubtedly fascinating contents of Rey’s notebook, Testor impulsively hatched a desperate plot.

“Okay, people, listen up. The Dean’s been worried about attendance recently; it seems like a lot of classes are having problems with people not showing up. Now obviously that’s not a problem here—” the students chuckled as they all looked around the packed classroom— “but rules are rules and I’ve got a job to do, so get off my dick about it.” _That_ got an open round of laughter. “Apparently there’s some regulation that we’re not allowed to take attendance, so what I’m doing instead is collecting your notes from today, to get a head count of who was actually here. Don’t freak out about it, you’ll get them back on Monday. I’ll have your papers spread out down here, grab ‘em when you come down to drop your notes off. That’s it!”

The class shuffled past, dropping their notes in a messy pile and rifling through the stack of papers. A few people hadn’t taken any notes; Testor let them sign and date a sheet of blank paper as a substitute. Rey and Finn, to her utter lack of surprise, hung back, waiting until everyone else had left before they ventured to the front of the class.

“Um…Ms. Pava?” Finn asked tentatively.

Testor couldn’t help herself; she made an ugly snorting sound and split into a grin. “God, kid, how old do you think I am? Jessika’s fine. Or my friends call me Testor.”

Rey snickered, elbowing Finn in the ribs before growing serious. “The thing is, Testor, we didn’t actually take any notes today.”

“Liar.” Testor favored them with her signature you-don’t-impress-me stare, and was pleased to see them both flush red.

“No, really,” Rey started, “we were—”

“—scribbling in her notebook all through class,” Testor said bluntly. “So what were you writing, if you weren’t taking notes?”

The two of them stared at her like a pair of proverbial headlight-stricken deer.

“Okay, c’mon,” Testor said commandingly, beckoning with one hand. “Fork it over. Let’s go.”

“We can’t!” Finn squeaked.

Testor raised one eyebrow. “Why the hell not?”

“It’s…embarrassing,” Rey mumbled, staring at her feet.

Testor let her other eyebrow climb up her forehead to meet its partner.

After a moment, still blushing beet red, Rey pulled her notebook out of her bag and slid it across the table. Testor leaned forward eagerly, flipping it open and thumbing through the pages to the most recent writing.

‘THE DAMERONS’ was written in truly impressive and intricate calligraphy on a banner being supported by two stylized doves. Testor smirked to herself and flipped to the previous page.

‘Mr., Mr. and Mrs. Dameron’ was written inside an ornately drawn heart, surrounded by smaller hearts of varying sizes and designs.

The page before that was a very well-done sketch of Poe’s face, looking studious and pensive. “Not a bad likeness,” Testor said, nodding approvingly as she looked up at the two students. Finn looked humiliated, Rey defiant. “Which of you’s the artist?”

Rey nodded sideways at Finn, who ducked his head. Testor gave him a hearty thumbs-up and shut the notebook, tossing it back onto the desk. She steepled her fingers and leaned forward on her elbows, staring them down seriously. “So. Someone’s got a crush on teacher.”

“It’s none of your business,” Rey fired back. “It’s not like there’s any rule against looking, anyway, and besides, he’s not really our teacher, so even if—we didn’t do anything _wrong_.”

Jessika folded her arms together. “Look, kid, if you want my opinion—and I’m speaking as Poe’s friend here—the only thing you two did wrong is not asking him out yet.”

This announcement had exactly the effect that she’d been hoping for, and she went on smugly: “He likes you too. He’s not going to say anything to you because he’s got a stick up his ass about University rules, and he thinks you’d only say yes because you’re scared he’d fail you if you don’t. Also because he thinks he’s too old for you.”

“He’s not old,” Finn interrupted. “He’s—he’s _distinguished_!”

“He’s _hot_ ,” Rey said feelingly. “And he would _never_ do something like that, he’s too—”

Testor laughed, shaking her head at them. “All right, cool your hormones. Now, he may or may not technically have a point about the University rules thing, which means that technically, I could probably get in trouble if I encouraged you to ask him out. So, I’m not going to do that. But what I am going to do is write down his address and personal cell number on this blank piece of paper right here, for _entirely unrelated reasons_ , and if somehow I should accidentally forget to take it with me when I leave, well, I suppose anybody could walk off with it and I’d never know.”

Rey and Finn traded an excited look, grinning, as Jess did exactly that. Rey eagerly snatched up the paper as soon as she’d finished writing, tucking it into her bag with her notebook, and the two of them practically skipped off towards the door.

“Wait—your essays!” Testor called after them, leaning in conspiratorially when they came rushing back. “Not for nothing, but I happen to know for sure that this Valentine’s Day he’ll be sitting at home alone moping and feeling sorry for himself. As your substitute-substitute-TA, I specifically forbid the two of you from surprising him there with a bottle of Monastrell, which I have it on good authority is his favorite wine. And you didn’t hear it from me!” she shouted as they made their escape.

Sunday rolled around on schedule, and Poe was, as promised, moping in his apartment and feeling sorry for himself. A knock at the door caught him by surprise; he’d ordered Chinese food in a fit of optimism, but it had only been about twenty minutes.

“That was quick,” he commented as he opened the door, still hunting for his wallet. “Give me a second, I’ve got the money around here somewhere. What was it, twenty-something?”

“I’m making an effort not to be insulted,” came a familiar voice. Poe froze in his tracks, slowly turning to face the doorway. Rey was leaning against Finn’s shoulder, smiling uncertainly. “I think we’re worth more than that, personally.”

“You can’t be here,” Poe said automatically, staring at them. Rey and Finn’s smiles wavered. “Look, you—how do you even know where I live?”

“Um…” Finn shrugged his shoulders expressively. “We…broke into the University records?”

 “Testor sent you, didn’t she.”

“That depends on your definition of ‘sent’.”

Poe rubbed his temples. “I’m going to _kill_ her.”

Rey and Finn ignored this. “Aren’t you going to invite us in?”

“I—” Poe took a deep breath. “I would really like to, but—”

That was enough of an invitation. They pushed through the doorway, not hesitating to crowd into Poe’s personal space when he didn’t step back to give them room.

“Listen, buddy, you can’t just—” Poe protested weakly, but Finn pulled the door to his apartment shut behind him and before he knew it, Rey was crowding up against his mouth.

She had no technique, none at all, but she was persistent and demanding in the best sort of way, and Poe would have protested when she pulled away if Finn hadn’t immediately taken her place. _His_ kiss was just as clumsy, but the heat of his mouth was intoxicating—as was the strength of his hands, curling tight around the small of Poe’s back and pulling him close.

Poe could feel himself melting against Finn’s broad torso, could feel someone’s hand—he didn’t know whose—tangling in his hair. It felt good. It felt simple, easy, natural, especially when whichever of them it was started gently scratching his scalp with their fingernails and Poe collapsed into Finn’s chest. Rey was giggling at him, and the sound brought him to his senses.

“Listen, you two—” he started, shaking a wobbly warning finger at the two of them, but Rey interrupted him again.

“We brought you a present,” she said, grinning confidently as Finn held up a bottle.

“Montastrell,” Poe sighed, resigning himself. “My favorite. But you already knew that.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Finn said cheerfully.

Poe sighed again. “You’re not having any,” he told Rey firmly. “I _know_ you’re underage, and I’m not so corrupted that—”

She shut him up with another kiss, just as insistent but more self-assured. Poe could feel her smiling into his mouth as she crowded forward against him, pushing him backwards into Finn’s firm body. Finn’s hands wrapped around his hips, and he bent down slightly, nibbling Poe’s ear as he tugged him closer.

Finn’s wandering hands were starting to wander further down the front of his groin, and Poe was just starting to relax and enjoy Rey’s attentions, when a loud knock at the door made all three of them jump. Poe shooed them both out of sight, conscious of his blush, and answered the door.

He paid for the food as quickly as possible, refusing the delivery guy’s attempts to hand over his change, and headed down the hall into his living room.

The two of them had wasted no time in making themselves comfortable; they were lounging on either end of his sofa, looking nowhere near as self-conscious as he felt. Then again, _they’d_ had time to emotionally prepare themselves for this mess.

Speaking of emotional preparation…he kicked them out of his apartment the next morning with plenty of time to get ready for his class. (A task that was harder than it sounded—the both of them kept coming back for “just one more” kiss goodbye.) The bottle of wine had gone unopened, so he didn’t have a hangover to deal with, at least; but if emotions could have hangovers, his was a doozy.

They sat in the very back row, as always. Poe made a studied effort to avoid making eye contact, because every time he so much as glanced in their direction, they started waving and making little kissy faces at him. The class felt at least six times as long as usual; he stayed bent over his desk, hoping none of the other students got suspicious from the flush of embarrassment on his cheeks and neck.

“All right, class, that’ll be all for today,” Professor Skywalker finally ( _finally_ ) concluded. “Good work. You should be up through chapter eighteen to be ready for class discussion on Wednesday—we’ll be talking about the themes of subjective morality, so keep that in mind as you read. Dismissed.”

“Sir, what about our notes?” a student called from the center of the room. Poe looked up, confused, just as Skywalker turned towards him with an inquisitive look. He shrugged helplessly, and the professor turned back around, bushy eyebrows furrowed.

“Our notes from last week,” the student elaborated. “The TA collected them on Friday? Because of the attendance issue? She said Dean Organa requested it. She said we’d get them back today?”

On the other end of campus, Testor Pava felt an inexplicable chill run up her spine, with a sudden feeling like she’d forgotten something important. She didn’t know why, but today felt like a _very_ good day to make herself scarce on school grounds.


End file.
